After a lot of back and forth with stats and even a proto-system based on Maslow’s hierarchy of needs over the last few weeks, we’ve settled on 3 stats- “Society”, “Economy”, and “Environment”.

The aim of the game will be to keep the stats in some degree of balance, based on the level of the settlement.

Every action you take has some impact on one or more of these stats- e.g. Building a shop (minimal positive impact on social, high positive impact on economy, and minimal negative impact on environment), or a Farm/Mine (minimal negative impact on social, medium positive impact on economy, high impact on environment).

You’ll also have regular challenges that will allow you to push the stats in one direction or another based on your plan for the settlement and the needs of the people therein.

There are no “right” or “wrong” answers to the challenges, per se, it’s purely down to the type of colony you’re trying to build and which of the stats you want/need to adjust to get there.

The choices you make do matter though and are what form your narrative and shape the stories you tell the settlement when you gather around the campfire to discuss the future (i.e. the upgrade mechanism for the settlement).

Every decision you make will be documented in your journal, and the campfire system will be you explaining the decisions you’ve taken, which dictates the moral compass of your town, and then begins to influence the kinds of challenges you get down the line